20.04.10 - Foresters Fail in Promotion Bid Despite Monteith hat trick!
For the neutral, this had to be one of the games of the season. The
Mens 3rds (Foresters) had to beat League Champions Southgate on their own patch (a feat which no other side had yet achieved this season) to be sure of second place and automatic promotion up to Division 2. Anything less and the way was clear for Hampstead and Westminster 5s to leapfrog the 3rds into second place should they beat Spencer later in the day.
The Foresters knew that they could expect no charity from Southgate who as anticipated fielded an exceptionally strong side in an attempt to
deny their local rivals promotion – a true compliment in some respects!
The home side struck first with a short corner in the first minute which was cleared by the Foresters defence. However, it was the Foresters who drew first blood after just 3 minutes when a superb Gunn pass released Montheith for a great solo goal (0 – 1). Two minutes later, Monteith struck again to fire the ball home to give the visitors a clear lead after just 5minutes (0 – 2).
As the hosts rocked under the early pressure, Youldon fired just wide after 6 minutes. If the Foresters thought that they were going to have it all their own way, they were sadly mistaken as Southgate struck back after 10 minutes. Murphy saved the initial short corner strike but the ball was forced home on the rebound (1 – 2). The breathless pace continued and Gunn scored from a short corner on 14 minutes to restore the Foresters 2 goal lead (1 – 3).
The game could have been possibly wrapped up on 22 minutes when Gunn crossed to the unmarked Monteith who was standing just inches from the home goal line, but the ball found its way to the strikers feet and then the opportunity was lost. Gunn then fired high and wide on 27 minutes.
Southgate always looked threatening on the counter attack and in the
last minute of the half again forced home a rebound from a short corner which had been initially saved by Murphy (2 – 3). The goal clearly gave the home side encouragement and the early second
half pressure from Southgate produced dividends on 38 minutes as they converted their first short corner of the game to equalise (3 – 3).
Two minutes later, the Foresters were back in the lead as Krone passed to Youldon who in turn fed Monteith who calmly scored his hat trick (3 – 4). It has to be said that at this stage neither of the defences were covering themselves in glory and on 44 minutes Southgate were back on level terms in this topsy turvey match (4 – 4).
Chances were then created at both ends, with Murphy saving well on 51 minutes and Gunn forcing a good save from the home keeper a minute later. On 55 minutes a Gunn short corner was deflected for a long corner. Two minutes later Fisher put Gunn through on goal but the shot went wide.
Southgate then took the lead for the first time in the match on 61 minutes when a free hit taken quickly (from arguably an incorrect
position) allowed the home side to wriggle through the Foresters
defence and score. Cue Foresters protests, a mid pitch conference by
the umpires who eventually decided that the goal should stand (5 – 4).
With the Foresters sensing that promotion was going to slip through
their fingers, the visitors redoubled their efforts and on 63 minutes
Fisher superbly converted a Foresters short corner to again level this
incredible match (5 – 5).
Southgate were now pinned back into their own half as the Foresters
laid siege to the home goal. With 3 minutes to go, the Foresters
thought that they had scored from a short corner only for the strike to
be disallowed for height. There was still even time for the tireless
Monteith (justly awarded Man of the Match) to see his effort saved in
the final minute of the match.
As the final whistle blew, the Foresters knew that a valiant effort at
gaining successive promotions was likely to have been thwarted and so it proved when, after an anxious wait, the news arrived that Hampstead had prevailed over Spencer and had pipped the Foresters to second place by a solitary point.
An exhilarating match to round off a thoroughly entertaining season,
but before thoughts could turn to next year, the little matter of the
Divisional Cup Semi Final needed to be addressed the following week and who knows, a repeat match against Southgate in the Divisional Cup Final. If this eventuality were to arise, on the basis of this match, every neutral observer would be licking their lips in anticipation…………!
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